West Virginia

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 20, West Virginia DL Dante Stills

Published

2 years ago

April 9, 2023

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 20, West Virginia DL Dante Stills

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could possibly be chosen by the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the 2023 NFL draft.

The Inexperienced Bay Packers misplaced Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry in free company, leaving them skinny alongside the line of defense.

Kenny Clark is the chief and nonetheless a dominant drive up entrance. With extra snaps on the best way, Devonte Wyatt figures to get pleasure from a breakout marketing campaign throughout his second yr within the league. These two determine to be the important thing cogs up entrance for the Packers and will show to be a disruptive duo. Now, Brian Gutekunst wants so as to add depth round them.

A participant that Inexperienced Bay may goal within the upcoming NFL Draft is Dante Stills. The West Virginia defensive lineman checks in at No. 20 within the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

Stills, the son of Gary Stills (a 10-year NFL veteran) ended his profession at West Virginia with this system file for video games performed (58).

Throughout his first season on campus, Stills recorded 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. In 2019, Stills recorded 14 tackles for loss and eight sacks. The next season Stills recorded 9.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. In 2021, Stills recorded 15 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and one interception. This previous season he recorded 9 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He turned this system’s all-time chief in tackles for loss this previous season in opposition to TCU.

“Dante is one other legacy participant,” Jed Drenning, the West Virginia sideline reporter mentioned. “He spent a part of his profession enjoying on the line of defense alongside his brother Darius who was additionally an All-Large 12 performer for the Mountaineers. Their father, Gary Stills, was a standout for West Virginia within the 90s earlier than having fun with a protracted profession within the NFL.”

Stills fires off the snap with nice preliminary quickness. His 1.72 10-yard break up was the fourth quickest amongst inside defensive linemen on the mix. He’s in a position to slither via the gaps and made a residing disrupting the motion within the backfield. He completed his profession with a program-record 53 tackles for loss. He has the lateral quickness and vary to make performs up and down the road of scrimmage.

As a go rusher, his preliminary quickness will get offensive linemen on their heels. He has forceful arms and is ready to get into the chest of blockers. He’s in a position to generate motion and collapse the pocket along with his energy. In line with Professional Soccer Focus, Nonetheless completed this previous season with a career-high 30 pressures.

“Robust sufficient to create issues on the inside with the quickness wanted to carry his personal on the sting,” Drenning mentioned. “He’s a strong child who can run and may bend. That ability set translated to success on the sector over the course of a protracted profession. His manufacturing was obvious as he completed his profession as the varsity’s all-time tackles for loss chief.”

Throughout his time at West Virginia Stills performed up and down the road of scrimmage. That versatility may enchantment to the Packers as they seek for high quality depth within the upcoming draft.

“Dante is very versatile,” Drenning mentioned. “He can play completely different spots and is comfy in even and odd entrance schemes alike.”

Stills has loved a profitable draft cycle. By all stories, the West Virginia defensive lineman was among the finest front-seven gamers throughout Shrine Bowl week. He then turned in a powerful efficiency on the mix. His 4.85 40-yard sprint was the third quickest amongst inside defensive linemen and his 10-yard break up was the fourth quickest. His broad soar (9-5) was third greatest and his three-cone (7.38) was third greatest. His 20-yard shuttle (4.61) was second-best.

🔥 Dante Stills (@Dstills55) blazes previous the competitors with one of many quickest 40-yard sprint instances amongst defensive linemen on the NFL Mix! Take a look at his highlights now 👀
📺:#NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/k9UjSSWylE
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— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) March 2, 2023

Match with the Packers

The Packers want our bodies up entrance. The departures of Reed and Lowry depart the Packers razor-thin alongside the line of defense. Stills would offer high quality depth and has the instruments to show right into a productive participant on the subsequent degree.

Clark, Wyatt, and Slaton mixed for five.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. Stills may increase Inexperienced Bay’s inside go rush. Along with his historical past of creating splash performs in opposition to the run, he may assist shore up Inexperienced Bay’s leaky run protection.

“Dante has all the time been an efficient go rusher,” Drenning mentioned. “He actually took a step final yr as a run defender and as a extra constant every-down asset. He’s an amazing teammate who can be a optimistic addition to any locker room.”

Stills was a disruptive drive for West Virginia. Along with his athleticism and energy, Stills could possibly be a gorgeous day-three goal for the Packers as they appear so as to add items round Clark.

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West Virginia

WVDA confirms case of bird flu in West Virginia

Published

4 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

WVDA confirms case of bird flu in West Virginia

POCAHONTAS COUNTY, W.Va (WDTV) – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has confirm a cause of Avian Influenza in a backyard flock in Pocahontas County.

This mark the second case of HPAI in domestic birds in West Virginia since the start of the global outbreak in early 2022.

The diagnosis was made by a field investigation, sample collection, and testing at WVDA’s Animal Health Lab in Moorefield.

The affected is currently under quarantine, and the birds have been depopulated to prevent a disease spread. These efforts help ensure the safety and integrity of the commercial food supply.

“The WVDA acted swiftly to contain the disease and remains committed to collaborating with poultry owners to prevent its spread,” stated West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “As the state’s leading agricultural commodity, protecting the poultry industry is critical, and implementing emergency response plans is essential to safeguarding its future.”

Avian influenza is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among chickens through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus also infects a wide variety of other birds, including wild migratory waterfowl. HPAI has been detected in various species of mammals—presumably after the animals come into contact with infected wild birds. For more information on current detections in domestic poultry, livestock, and wildlife across the U.S., please visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s webpage.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the public health risk associated with avian influenza remains low. As a reminder, people should properly handle and cook all poultry and eggs.

For additional precautions against the virus, visit the CDC’s Avian Influenza Guidance.

To prevent the spread of the disease, WVDA urges poultry owners to:

Limit, monitor, and record any movement of people, vehicles, or animals on or off the farm.
Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm.
Avoid visiting other poultry farms or unnecessary travel off the farm.
Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other items in contact with flocks.
Keep flocks away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.
Isolate any ill animals and contact your veterinarian immediately.

Poultry owners should report unusual death loss, a drop in egg production, or any sick domestic birds to WVDA’s Animal Health Division at 304-558-2214.

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West Virginia

West Virginia hiring Noel Devine, former RB and program great, to staff as offensive analyst

Published

13 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

West Virginia hiring Noel Devine, former RB and program great, to staff as offensive analyst

West Virginia great Noel Devine is returning to Morgantown to join Rich Rodriguez’s staff as an offensive analyst, where the former star running back will reunite with the head coach who first recruited him to play for the Mountaineers. Devine, 36, announced the news Friday morning.

Devine, a former five-star recruit and one of the most exciting players of his generation, scored 31 touchdowns and amassed over 5,000 yards of total offense in his four-year career at West Virginia. Last summer his son Andre Devine signed with Rodriguez when he was the head coach at Jacksonville State.

Proud moment yesterday seeing my son Andre sign to JSU! Thank you Coach Rod and your coaching staff for welcoming my son with open arms. This means a lot to me and my family my son found a home. The Devine legacy continues with the same culture and traditions Rich Rod taught me pic.twitter.com/1JSVIKjV70
— Noel Devine (@noel_devine7) February 9, 2024

Devine was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 after going undrafted but was only with the team briefly in the summer before spending time in the CFL. He has been working in Florida running his own speed training company and helping mentor local kids in the area where he grew up.

Devine was one of the first high school football recruits to go viral. His dazzling highlights took off on the internet starting in 2004 after Tampa-based Sunshine Preps, an independent recruiting service, posted footage of the 5-foot-7, 170-pound freshman’s varsity debut for North Fort Myers High the previous fall.

(Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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